LOS ANGELES — Even in a losing effort, Max Muncy continues to be one of the brightest spots in the Dodgers’ lineup. The veteran slugger launched his third home run of the series and added another hit in Sunday night’s 7–3 loss to the Yankees, capping off a strong weekend that further cemented his recent turnaround at the plate.
Asked what’s changed, Muncy downplayed any mechanical overhauls. “The mechanics have been the same,” he said. “I think it’s just getting a couple balls to go where I want them to go. You guys know how baseball is—sometimes a couple things can get you rolling, and it can be the opposite too.”
Since returning to the lineup wearing glasses, Muncy has looked like a different hitter. And while he’s not entirely sure how much credit the eyewear deserves, he’s not discounting the results. “It’s hard to say. I mean, definitely can’t deny it,” Muncy said. “Ever since I started wearing them, I feel like I’ve cut my strikeout rate by a lot, and that was a big thing for me. So it’s kind of hard to deny it.”
Indeed, the statistics bear Muncy out. Over the last thirty days, Muncy has been borderline elite at the plate: a .276 batting average with 7 home runs and 28 RBI. His OPS of .934 over that stretch is good for tenth in the National League, where he joins Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Will Smith in the top ten in that category. Yes, his April was awful, but as Bob Dylan used to say, the times, they are a changing.
The Dodgers had trouble solving Yankees starter Ryan Yarbrough, a familiar face with a unique look on the mound. Despite his low velocity, Yarbrough baffled the Dodgers with his deception and command. “He might only be throwing mid-80s, but it feels so much harder than that,” Muncy said. “He’s got long arms, good extension, and that funky delivery with the low slot. He was mixing it well, keeping us off balance.”
Despite the loss, Muncy emphasized the positives. “We just took two of three from a really, really good team,” he said. “Obviously we’re upset we didn’t get this one, but we played two really good games. From an offensive standpoint, we battled back today. We put together good at-bats. The result just wasn’t there.”
Muncy also echoed manager Dave Roberts’ comments about the team playing sound, fundamental baseball throughout the series. “We’ve just been cleaning some things up,” he said. “Last road trip we made some mistakes in all aspects—offense, defense, baserunning. We kind of cleaned that up. It was good to see.”
The veteran infielder credited the team’s mental toughness, especially with key players like Mookie Betts sidelined. “That’s just our clubhouse,” he said. “Over the last couple of years, unfortunately, we’ve been dealing with a lot of blows. This clubhouse has figured out how to handle that. You just keep moving forward. You’ve got to show up every day and play the game.”
With his power stroke back and his confidence building, Muncy is once again anchoring the middle of the order—and proving he’s still a force in a Dodgers lineup that continues to find ways to win, even when not at full strength.
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